"A Crown Of Seaweed And The Stench Of Fish Innards"

"The waters encompassed me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds wrapped around my head." Jonah 2:5

Now there is a quote from a person that I would least like to be! I always talk about my favorites, so today I was thinking about who I would most like not to be like. I thought of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego. After all neither a fiery furnace and or a lion's den sound very pleasant to me. The thing is, I can't really pick them because they were in those situations because of their stand for God. I can't say I don't want to stand for him! This brought me to Jonah who was in his situation because he refused to be obedient or as scripture puts it, "He fled from the presence of the Lord." Jonah 1:10 So, I decided he was my least favorite and that he was in the worst spot ever. He ended up trapped in the belly of a big fish, with his head wrapped in seaweed because he ran from God's presence. I was thinking about how awful that place must have been! The darkness, the smell, the seaweed, etc. I would definitely prefer the cartoon versions with the lit candle than the reality of how bad it must have really been. As I was contemplating this fact, God brought to mind someone else whose state was even worse. Worse not because Jonah's situation wasn't bad but because Jonah at least knew the presence of God and he knew how to get help in his situation. He knew how to repent and to turn back to God!

This other guy, his was a tough place with no hope. Not even repentance! We don't know his name just that he was rich, clothed in fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day until he died. Then he uses these words to describe his situation, "Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." He is then informed that there is a great gulf fixed that prevents any relief to his suffering. Luke 16:19-31

So I have decided that between between Jonah or this man who learned too late about repentance and the comfort of the presence of God that I VERY MUCH prefer a crown of seaweed and the stench of fish innards then eternity with regrets and no hope. How about you?